Thursday, 19 February 2015

Centre asks Congress to vacate party HQ in New Delhi's Akbar Road

The Urban Development Ministry on Thursday issued a notice to the Indian National Congress to vacate its party headquarter located at 24, Akbar Road in the national capital.

Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora said that his party has already given a reply to the Urban Development Ministry. File Photo

The Congress party has been asked by the Central government to vacate four government bungalows in the heart of the Capital including a sprawling building at 24Akbar Road which serves as its headquarters following cancellation of their allotment.

AICC Treasurer Motilal Vora on Thursday said the party has received a notice from the Urban Development Ministry for vacating the four bungalows in its posession that also included 26, Akbar Road; 5, Raisina Road and C-II/109, Chanakya Puri. 24, Akbar Road has been the party headquarters since 1978 while 26, Akbar Road is the office of the Congress frontal wing Seva Dal and 5, Raisina Road houses Youth Congress and NSUI(I) offices. The Chanakyapuri bungalow is being used as a residence. Vora said the party has replied to the notice.

The Ministry of Urban Development directed the Congress that it pay penal fee till the bungalows are vacated. In a statement, it said that as per the policy on Allotment of Land to Political Parties for building their own party offices, Congress Party was required to vacate in June, 2013 the four bungalows that are in its possession.

The Ministry said this is because Congress Party was handed over possession of land at 9-A, Rouse Avenue in June, 2010 and as per the policy it was required to vacate the four bungalows within three years i.e June, 2013, which was not done.

The Ministry of Urban Development last month has informed the Congress Party that the said allocation has been cancelled with effect from June, 2013 and it will be charged "damage rate of license fee" from that month for the said bungalows till they are vacated, as per the policy. Subsequently, Congress Party made a request seeking further three years time to vacate these bungalows, it said.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has directed the concerned to examine the request of the Congress.